Pastoral Leadership
BRAEDEN STORKERSEN, PASTOR
Pastor Braeden grew up in Temecula and was raised in an evangelical megachurch setting. At 16, he felt called to pastoral ministry. However, during his senior year of high school, two pivotal events led him to reevaluate his faith—his oldest brother shared that he was an atheist, and a close family friend came out as gay. This prompted Braeden to reconsider the exclusivist theology of his upbringing and embrace a more loving and inclusive expression of Christianity.
While completing seminary, Braeden served as a pastor at an evangelical church in Temecula and taught at the church’s Christian school. In 2020, he discovered Missiongathering and was an active member for three years before being called to serve as our Pastor.
In addition to leading Missiongathering, Braeden is the host of Religionless Studios on YouTube and is pursuing his PhD at Claremont School of Theology.
Meet Our Board Members
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Jeff Crawford (Board Chairman)
Jeff's journey with MissionGathering took root during a pivotal moment of transition. Upon returning to the MG in August 2023, he found himself reconnecting with a community that felt like home. His military background instilled in him a sense of duty and resilience, traits that seamlessly integrate with the inclusive ethos of MGSD. Beyond his service within the Audio/Visual team, Jeff has always had a strong desire to give back to his community.
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Helen Christensen
Helen Christensen came to MGSD when she relocated to SD during the 2020 pandemic. She was raised Catholic and was drawn to the inclusive vision of MGSD. Helen enjoys volunteering with homeless outreach, collecting toys for our gift drives and supporting our wonderful church community. She also loves to bake and bring treats for our gatherings.
She has 2 grown children and 2 granddogs.
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Lisa Reynolds
Lisa grew up in Southern California and attended university in San Diego. After graduation, Lisa taught English in Japan for a year and a half, and then in China for 4 years. When she moved back to the states, Lisa was attracted to Montessori education. She received her Montessori training from MISD in the primary level (ages 3 to 6). She has worked in Montessori education for about 8 years and has been a head teacher for about 7. Lisa lives in Mission Valley with her husband David.
